My friend’s idea of a good birthday celebration is inviting people over for one of his rare heart-clogging, stomach-swelling indulgences into Zachary’s Pizza. And, since he is mostly a scotch and beer man, I decided to bring a couple of bottles of wine.

But, my influence must be rubbing off as he thrust a glass of 2004 François Chidaine Touraine into my hand as soon as I entered. The second time this week he’s served me this wine, so if he starts off his Wine Journey in the Loire, then forget university teaching, clearly I’ve already done my GoodWorks in this world. The wine is simple but honest sauvignon with a sufficient balance between snap and body and it’s fine for a glass although it doesn’t stop me from moving on…

My 2000 Alain Demon Côte Roannaise “La Perrière” Réserve was a curious wine, relatively deep flavors in a middle-weight package with some earthy undertones and a texture that waffled from slightly chunky and blocky to slippery and smooth. It was certainly an interesting take on gamay, the blocky earthy bits and all, but it wasn’t fully in its zone, perhaps needed tons more aeration/aging than we gave it.

Plus, the 2004 Clos Roche Blanche Touraine Gamay was singing a better song, with its crisp stony shards of gamay berries, definitely en forme. Thank you for being you.

Arriving home many hours later I was pleased to see that the Kitchen Counter gods had left me a bottle to taste before bed, the 1993 Château Musar, which was singing a very lovely song via long fine gorgeously resolved threads of the typical spicy minty choco game, with only tiny dots of brett to add nuance to the structure. A lovely elegant frame in the mouth, and aerated for at least 7 hours, which is perhaps what allowed it to be my best Musar experience to date with the least amount of offensive brett/VA, and evoking many wonderful feelings before bed.

Rahsaan wrote:Arriving home many hours later I was pleased to see that the Kitchen Counter gods had left me a bottle to taste before bed, the 1993 Château Musar, which was singing a very lovely song via long fine gorgeously resolved threads of the typical spicy minty choco game, with only tiny dots of brett to add nuance to the structure. A lovely elegant frame in the mouth, and aerated for at least 7 hours, which is perhaps what allowed it to be my best Musar experience to date with the least amount of offensive brett/VA, and evoking many wonderful feelings before bed.